Hello there! This year we discovered a new destination that easily became one of our favorite places on Earth – the city called “Oaxaca de Juares” in Mexico. My husband has been talking about this state for years – ever since I moved to Mexico City 6 years ago, tried Oaxaca cheese and questioned its unual at that time name, so you can imagine the excitement. Since it was our first trip, we made wanted to make it pretty simple: to explore the city, visit at least a few points of interest, and try the best Oaxaca has to offer. Long story short, Hierve el Agua was on top of the list.
About Hierve el Agua
Hierve el Agua is the calcified waterfalls southwest of Oaxaca de Juarez that was created by mineral water pushed through karstic limestone, depositing the falls onto the mountain’s edge. The waterfalls are white, and the pools are full of calcium carbonate, magnesium, and just enough sulfur to lend them a yellow hue.
How to get there?
The easiest way – take a day tour to visit several points of interest (the most common would be Hierve El Agua + Arbol de Tule + Mezcaleria).
The best way for a group of people – hire a driver or rent a car.
The cheapest “local” way – take a green and white bus from the bus stop behind the Baseball Stadium in front of Mcdonald’s from Oaxaca City to the town called “Mitla”. After you arrive at Mitla, you’ll see pick up trucks that can take you all the way to Hierve el Agua.
Total time of traveling – 2 hours.
…and what way did we choose?
The “local” way is the best way for us! We just love getting to know the place from the point of view of the people that live there. It also allows us to talk to locals and learn more about the culture.
It cost us MXN280 for a trip from Oaxaca de Juares to Hierve el Agua and back. We also paid 50 pesos entrance fee for 2 people once arrived. It surely wasn’t the most comfortable trip in my life, but it was 100% worth it. In fact, I wouldn’t do it any other way.
While at Hierve el Agua.
Things to remember:
- SPF cream is a must.
- keep in mind that the water is cold;
- bathrooms and showers are availible for a small fee. However, the changing rooms are free of charge;
- food: there are places that serve really good local food and drinks (as well as a couple of small stores) with enough options for vegetarians and meat lovers. The only thing I would suggest is bringing drinking water and snacks for the road.
The way back:
The last pick-up truck from Hierve el Agua takes off at 6 p.m. You arrive in Mitla, and there is a bus station where you should wait for a bus to get back to Oaxaca de Juares. It usually takes 15-30 minutes. There is also a small store just in case you need to get water/snacks.
That’s pretty much it! I hope you enjoyed the post
XX,
Gena.
